Magnetic ore-separator.



PATBNTED JUNE 12, 1906.

r H; H. WAIT. MAGNETIC ORE SEPARATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 20. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906.

H. H. WAIT. MAGNETIC ORE SEPARATOR.

APPLIOATIONI ILED MAR. 20. 1905.

2 SHEETS-"SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

HENRY H. W AIT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL SEPARATOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application filed March 20. 1905. Serial No. 251,071.

To all whom it me; concern: 4

Be it known that I, HENRY H. WAIT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,

in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

tures of ores or materials which have so nearly the same specific gravity that they could not ordinarily be separated in a satisfactorymanner by the usual type of shakingtable separator, which is dependent for its operation upon the different specific gravities of the materials worked upon.

Briefly my invention contemplates the combination, with .a shaking-table concentrator, of a magnet, preferably in the form of a rotating cylinder, provided with teeth or means for causing dispersions of the magnetic flux at its periphery, arranged to move close to the surface of the table and at such an angle thereto that the more ermeable particles of material upon the tab e will be attracted by the moving flux divergencies and posi- 'tively shifted out of their regular gravitational path. By this means the more permeable particles of material are caused to be discharged from the table at a different location from the place of discharge of the other elementsof the mixture with which they would otherwise be mingled.

I Will describe my invention particularly by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view in elevation of an orcconcentrator constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation on line 3 3 of Fig, 2, and Fig. 4c is a diagram matic plan view of the table, showing the manner in which the ordinary distribution of the niaterials thereon is modified by my invention to produce an effective separation of the magnetic particlesfrom theaother: parti cles having approximately the sanicispccilic gravity.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts wherever they are shown.

The concentrating table shown in the drawings, except for the magnet mechanism, is a type well known in the art. The material is intended to be fed to the table C through the feed-box F, (shown in the upper right-hand corner of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4,) from which it is caused to move gradually along the table toward the lefthand end. Such travel of the material is caused by the differential reciprocating or shaking movement of the table produced by the mechanism .1) of the usual type. Each movement of the table to the left is suddenly checked by the operation of the shaking mechanism, so that a step-by-step progression of the materials is thus caused, this movement being preferably assisted somewhat by a very slight inclination of the table in the same direction. The table is also slightly inclined about its hori- Zontal axisfso that dressing-water fed to the table through the clear-water box G will flow down across the surface of the table in the usual manner toward the tailings-box II. Riflles E E are provided upon the surface of the table, said rifll'es extending parallel to the direction of reciprocation. It is understood that these riffles may be formed either by raised strips upon the surface of the table or channels therein. A box K is provided at the end of the table to receive the heavy product which is not washed into the tailings-box by the action of the water.

The ordinary operation of such a table is well understood. The materials fed on, mixed with water through the feed-box F, are gradually moved aloi'ig' the table parallel to thc riffles E E by the differential reciprocating or shaking motion which is imparted to the table by the mechanism D. At the same time the dressing-water flowing across the table transversely to the riflies carries the lighter material over the tops of the riiilcs and downward to the lower edge of the table. The heavier material, however, sinks to the bottom and continues its passage along the riflles toward the end of the table. The resultis that the lighter materials are separated from those which are heavier, the'lightcr materials coining olf near the forward end of the table in the tailings-box ll, while the heavier materials stay on the table until they reach the lower end,where they are collected in the y box K.

In many instances the heavier product will be mixed with magnetic material, which, being of substantially the same weight 'is not effectively se arated. In accordance with my invention l pro ose to separatethe more permeable materia by positively shifting the moving particles out-of their gravitational path b means of a ma net moving above the ta le. Preferably the magnetic apparatus is constructed as follows: Aiieldma 'net M is mounted with one pole-piece S un erneath the table and the other polepiece N above the table and a magnetic cylinder mounted to rotate in the field between the pole-pieces N and S, with the surface of said cylinder approaching as closely as practicable to the u per surface of the table. The cylinder is pre 'erably placed at an angle to the riliies or obliquely transverse thereto,

as shown in Fig: 2, and is arranged to rotate in a direction such that magnetic particles adherin to the under side of'the cylinder will be s 'fted over the riflies toward the bot-- tom ofthe tablethat is to say, in thegeneral direction of fall of the wash-water. This mtzgnetic cylinder is located near the lower en of the table, so that the lighter products will have been washed off before the mixture reaches the magnet, it being the intention here to simply separate the magnetic particles from the rest of the heavy product.

The magnetic cylinder should be provided with magnetic teeth or ridges or other means for causing dispersions of the inagnetic'llux at its periphery, so that the magnetic particles on the table will tend to move toward the cylinder instead of toward the pole-piece S, it being understood that the movement of a magnetically'attracted particle is along converging lines of force.

By locating the magnetic cylinder L between the two opposing pole-pieces N and S of opposite polarity neutral points are establishe upon the surface of the cylinder between the two poles, and in the rotation of the cylinder when the attracted particles relaoh the neutral point they will tend to drop of.

The arrangement of the magnetic cylinder to rotate between opposed pole-pieces is also advantageous in that the ma netic pull upon the cylinder, which would otherwise be very great, is approximately balanced. The shakin'g table C can be made in the usual form, except it-should be very thin where it passes through the air-gap between the separatorarmature L and the pole-piece S. It can be strein thened, however, by the ribs T, which can all in notches or grooves in the polepiece S, as indicated in h ig. 3.

In the operation of the table, as indicated in diagram in Fig. 4, the heavier portions of the ore gradually work along in the grooves formed by the riffles toward the farther end of the table. The lighter portion of the ore is usually a waste product and is washed off, as indicated by the ver light dotted lines. The path of the intermediate product is indicated by the thin dashed lines. The heavy mineral would follow in a general Way the heavy full lines, and the ore having magnetic properties being usually heavier than the silica and other common forms of tailings will work down along the rifiies with the other heavy products. It will be seen, therefore, that without my invention a clean concentrate could notbe made. With the use of the magnet L, however, the magnetic product can be diverted, as shown by the heavy dottedlines in Fig. 4. This product will at first follow the approximate direction of the heavy mineral; but when it comes underneath the moving armature it will be attracted along the converging lines of force to the surface of said armature, and as thew-armature rotates it will be shifted positively across the riflies. After being thus picked up by the armature it is dropped therefrom at a point farther across'the table toward the bottom. Then in the action of the table, if it is again brought within the influence of the magnet, the shifting will be repeated, so that finally the magnetic product will be separated from the other heavy product and discharged from 1 the table at a dilferent'place, so that a clean concentrate is thus obtainable.

I claim- 1. The combination with a shaking-table.

concentrator, of a magnet having permeable projections arranged to move close to the surface of the table, and at an angle to the direction of reciprocation thereof adapted to cause the more permeable particles to be moved out of their regular path.

2. The combination with a shaking-table concentrator having riffles thereon, of a proaching the surface thereof; where y m.

the rotation of said cylinder, the more permeable particles ofmatcrial upon the table are shifted out of their regular gravitational path.

4. In an ore-concentrator, magnet pole pieces ofopposite polarity, and a substantially horizontal magnetic cylinder arranged to rotate between said pole-pieces, said cylinder having means for causing divergencies of the magnetic flux at its periphery, in combination with a shaking table, means arranged to reciprocate said table between said rotat ing cylinder and the lower pole-piece at an angle to said cylinder, adapted to cause the more permeable particles to move out of their regular path, substantially as set forth.

5. In an ore-concentrator, the combination with a shaking table, of an armature arranged to revolve above the table, said armature being provided with permeable magnetic projections closely approaching the surface of the table in the rotation of said arma' ture, a pole-piece forming a working magnetic gap with said armature, and means for reciprocating said shakingtable in said gap,

' said armature being mounted at an angle to the table, and means for rotating said armature to cause the more permeable particles to move out of their regular path.

6. The combination with a shaking-table concentrator, of a rotating magnetic cylinder having teeth on its periphery for causing dispersions of the magnetic flux, said teeth being arranged to move close to the surface of said table and at an angle thereto, means for rotating said cylinder to cause the more permeable particles to be moved out of their regular path, and a field-magnet between the poles whereon said cylinder is mounted.

7. The combination with a shaking-table concentrator, of longitudinal riiiies on said table, means for flowing water transversely across the table to remove the lighter material, a magnet having permeable projections arranged to move close to the surface of said table, and at an angle to the table capable of moving the more permeable particles out of their regular'path, and means for moving said magnet.

8. The combination with a transverselyinclined shaking-table concentrator having longitudinal riffles thereon, of means for feeding materials to be separated to the table, means for flowing water transversely across the table to remove the lighter material, a rotatable magnetic cylinder arranged to move close to the surface of said table, and at an angle thereto, and means for rotating said cylinder to cause the more permeable particles to be moved out of their regular path.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe 5 my name this 13th day of March, A. 1). 19057 HENRY ll. WAIT. W itnesses:

IRVING IVIACDONALD, DE WITT U. TANNER 

